Xu Yingjun nodded. "He’s always coming to the library to find me and buying me things. I’m so sick of him."
"Looks like another simp has appeared."
"Brother Jiang, don’t worry. I won’t pay him any mind. I’ll only let you..."
"Let me do what?"
"...let you tutor me."
"Now that’s what I like to hear."
Seeing the two of them whispering to each other, Cheng Shukai shouted again, his voice rising in pitch.
"Hey, you! Get the ball for us."
Passersby stopped, their gazes shifting back and forth between Lin Jiang and Cheng Shukai.
Cheng Shukai was one of Jiaoda’s biggest heartthrobs; that much was common knowledge.
He wasn’t just a good student who had already secured a spot in the university’s graduate program. He was also a fitness enthusiast and an excellent Basketball player, a true public figure at Jiaoda.
But this guy standing on the roadside... he seemed even more handsome.
Compared to him, Cheng Shukai suddenly looked plain and ordinary.
"Is it just me, or does Cheng Shukai seem off? Looks like he’s trying to start something."
"It might be because of that girl. I saw Cheng Shukai try to give her milk tea yesterday, but she didn’t take it."
"No way, are we really seeing a scene out of a novel play out on campus?"
"It’s possible. Cheng Shukai wants to pursue her, but she already has a boyfriend, so he’s salty about it."
"If it were me, I probably wouldn’t choose Cheng Shukai either. That other guy is so handsome, so masculine, a real man’s man. He’s totally my type."
"Let’s not even think about it. We can only dream of landing a guy of that caliber."
Xu Yingjun’s face was stern; she was clearly angry.
"Brother Jiang, let’s just ignore him. If he dares to bother me again, I’ll tell Teacher Shen."
"It’s just getting a ball. No big deal."
Lin Jiang calmly walked over, picked up the Basketball, and bounced it in his hand a few times.
"Catch."
With that, Lin Jiang used all his strength and hurled the Basketball forward!
Lin Jiang’s Physique was a world of difference from before. The speed and power of the throw far exceeded Cheng Shukai’s expectations.
Cheng Shukai instinctively raised his hands to catch the ball, but the immense force knocked him straight to the ground. He landed in a pathetic heap.
Cheng Shukai’s teammates had been enjoying the show, but they stopped laughing when they saw him fall. The awkwardness was palpable.
"No way, he can’t even catch a Basketball?"
"I’ve seen his short videos. He’s always showing off his muscles, but it turns out he’s so weak."
"My ’campus heartthrob’ filter is shattered."
"Weak guys usually don’t last long, you know. Turns out he’s all show and no substance."
The sounds of mockery from the crowd filled his ears, and the veins on Cheng Shukai’s forehead bulged.
"What’s the meaning of this? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?"
"Didn’t you ask me to get the ball? I was just trying to help, and now you’re accusing me of doing it on purpose?"
"Who throws a ball back with that much force?!"
"Could it be that you’re just too weak? Just playing ball isn’t enough. If it’s not working, maybe you should get some Chinese medicine."
PFFT—
The girls in the crowd couldn’t hold back their laughter. Even though this was a top university in the country, they were all adults and understood exactly what Lin Jiang was implying.
"Watch your mouth. If you’ve got a problem, let’s play to seven points. We’ll see who’s really weak."
[A player has issued you a challenge. Accept: Yes/No]
[Challenge: Basketball]
[Victor’s Reward: Top-Tier Three-Point Skill, 1,000,000 cash]
Seeing the game prompt, Lin Jiang had to accept even if he didn’t want to.
As a former captain of the school team, even though he’d gotten a bit rusty over the years, Lin Jiang was still quite confident in his skills. After all, he still played occasionally and hadn’t given it up completely.
Beating Cheng Shukai wouldn’t be much of a problem.
And the reward was very interesting.
[Top-Tier Three-Point Skill: Outside the three-point line, as long as the Basketball touches the rim or the backboard, it is a guaranteed basket.]
The description was clear, and Lin Jiang understood what it meant.
If you were standing outside the three-point line and intentionally shot an airball, the ball wouldn’t go in.
"Brother Jiang, you don’t have to deal with him. Let’s not stoop to his level."
Xu Yingjun linked her arm with Lin Jiang’s, an intimate gesture.
To the onlookers, it didn’t matter whether they played Basketball or not. This guy had already won.
"Actually, it’s been a while since I played Basketball. I’ll take this chance to play a game with him."
"Then I’ll cheer for you from the side!"
Under everyone’s gaze, Lin Jiang walked onto the basketball court, and the crowd moved to the side.
Cheng Shukai was brimming with confidence. Ever since securing his spot in grad school, he had been playing Basketball every day. For an outsider like this guy to think he could compete was just a fool’s dream.
"Make-it-take-it. First to seven baskets wins."
Cheng Shukai skillfully dribbled the Basketball. "Guests first. You can start."
"Alright."
Cheng Shukai tossed the Basketball over. Lin Jiang dribbled it a bit, doing a few between-the-legs and behind-the-back moves, and his warmup was done.
"I’m ready. Let’s start."
Lin Jiang stood outside the three-point line, took the ball, and shot.
Luckily, the Basketball swished through the net. He scored the first point.
"Brother Jiang, that was amazing!"
Xu Yingjun stood on the sidelines, cheering for Lin Jiang with all her might.
Cheng Shukai’s expression was still relaxed. It was just one basket, a trivial matter.
After the change of possession, Lin Jiang didn’t play defense. Instead, he pointed at the hoop, gesturing for him to take any shot he wanted.
Faced with this provocative gesture, Cheng Shukai snorted. He didn’t take the opportunity to drive to the basket but also stood his ground and went for an answer ball.
CLANG!
The Basketball hit the rim and bounced away.
Cheng Shukai was down by one. The atmosphere on the court quieted, waiting for Lin Jiang’s next possession.
This time, Cheng Shukai got serious, getting into a defensive stance. He wasn’t going to let Lin Jiang take a catch-and-shoot.
Seeing no opening, Lin Jiang dribbled the ball a few times. As they created some distance, Cheng Shukai closed in, step by step, spreading his arms to widen his defensive zone.
Lin Jiang did a series of between-the-legs dribbles, then suddenly executed a crossover, blowing past Cheng Shukai in a single step and leaving him behind for an easy layup.
Lin Jiang discovered that after his Physique had been enhanced, his jumping height and explosive speed had also increased.
Back in college, he could dunk. But after graduation, he’d neglected his training, and his running and jumping ability had declined, making a dunk nothing more than a pipe dream.
Now, with his body fat percentage down to 8% and a Physique far beyond that of a normal person, Lin Jiang felt that dunking shouldn’t be a problem.
The score was 2-0. Cheng Shukai’s teammate said:
"Brother Kai, he’s pretty good. You need to guard him tightly, don’t give him any space."
"I know."
Cheng Shukai’s expression grew even more serious. It was his turn to attack again.
With a two-point lead, Lin Jiang wasn’t worried at all. Just like before, he pointed at the hoop, inviting him to shoot.
"Brother Kai! Get him! This kid’s too arrogant!"
The guys behind him were all cheering for Cheng Shukai. He dribbled the ball a few times, found an opening, and charged toward the basket.
Lin Jiang remained unhurried, waiting in the three-second lane.
Just as Cheng Shukai jumped for a three-step layup, Lin Jiang lunged forward in one powerful stride and swatted his shot away!
"What a block! So cool!"
The girls in the crowd went wild.
They were creatures who judged by looks. Lin Jiang wasn’t just handsome, he was also great at Basketball. Who wouldn’t like a guy like that?!
Xu Yingjun was also shouting and cheering nonstop, no longer knowing what words to use to express her feelings.
She was even more excited than when she was studying English.
Being down two points was one thing, but getting blocked by Lin Jiang made Cheng Shukai feel utterly humiliated.
His face was terrifyingly dark, but in Lin Jiang’s eyes, he looked no different from a clown.
The third round began with Lin Jiang on offense.
After the first two rounds, he already had a measure of Cheng Shukai’s skill level, so now he could play with even more ease.
Cheng Shukai, on the other hand, was sticking to Lin Jiang like bark on a tree, smothering him completely.
In a sudden burst, Lin Jiang accelerated. Cheng Shukai matched his speed, sticking to him like glue to prevent him from getting past.
Lin Jiang suddenly stopped, pulling the ball back between his legs. Due to inertia, Cheng Shukai lost his footing and fell right onto his butt.
Lin Jiang gave a helpless shrug and sent a gentle little floater into the hoop!

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